- (File photo by D.L. Anderson)
- David Bell is off to a hot start in his second season as Mudcats manager.
The Birmingham Barons may have been the Southern League’s best team last season, but so far this time the visiting Carolina Mudcats have turned the tables on them.
Eric Eymann popped three hits including a double with one RBI and a stolen base, and everyone in the lineup both hit safely and scored in a 17-hit attack as the Mudcats rolled 11-3 Friday night to go to 2-0 on the season.
The Durham Bulls’ night wasn’t so good, as they fell 6-4 at International League South rival Norfolk to even that four-game series at one win apiece.
The Mudcats will play their home opener Wednesday night at Five County Stadium against the Montgomery Biscuits, the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.
Following the Norfolk series, the Bulls will visit the Gwinnett Braves for three games before hosting the Tides on Thursday night in their opener at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Mudcats 11, Birmingham 3
Dallas Buck was the winning pitcher for Carolina, going six solid innings and allowing a run on three hits with three strikeouts against one walk.
Seven Mudcats finished with multiple-hit games in the romp. Brandon Yarbrough had two hits including a double with an RBI, while Jose Castro added two hits with two RBI and Logan Parker had a pair of hits with an RBI and two steals.
Jhonny Nunez was the losing pitcher.
Norfolk 6, Bulls 4
Lou Montanez had a triple and two singles, knocking in two runs and scoring two more to lead the Tides at Harbor Park.
The Bulls led 4-3 before Montanez hit an RBI triple and then scored the go-ahead run in the seventh off loser Heath Rollins. Norfolk added an insurance run in the eighth on a single from Adam Donachie, who also had a double.
Dan Johnson had a homer and two singles for a pair of RBI for the Bulls, who got two doubles with an RBI from Ryan Shealy and a double and a single from Rashad Eldridge.
Frank Mata was Norfolk’s winning pitcher in relief.
Saturday’s games
Durham at Norfolk, 7:15 p.m.
Jeff Bennett (right, 1-1, 6.75) vs. Alfredo Simon (right, 0-1, 9.95 at Baltimore)
Carolina at Birmingham, 7:30 p.m.
Tom Cochran (left, 4-6, 3.18) vs. Charles Shirek (right, 6-4, 3.39)
